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Celebrating life as a Brother

A couple of weeks ago we celebrated the 50th jubilee of Bro. Jacques Jouvance, member of our community in Liverpool. Bro. Jacques came to Liverpool upon his retirement as a teaching Brother in France in 2009, the year I transferred to our Southampton community. We've been in community together in Liverpool now since 2013. Jacques is a wonderful cook, green-fingered gardener and lovely company in community. This summer we went to World Youth Day together, helping to accompany a group of 120 French and Spanish young people.

Twenty years ago this month I took my final vows as a De La Mennais Brother during a Mass at SFX College (it's 26 years since I started my life as a Brother). It's been a wild and wonderful ride since then. So many amazing experiences in the service of young people. It's been a privilege sharing them with the Brothers and lay people God has put on my path. And I've been so blessed to have made many friendships that continue to sustain and enrich me.

Only discovered this lovely photo of me and my parents recently in a bag of photos that had been in our archive room in Southampton.

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The article that you will find here contains a very pertinent analysis of Neill Blomkamp’s wonderful film "District 9" in the light of the current refugee crisis. Here's the start of the article: "Sometimes the best way to approach the horrors of the real world is indirectly, through fantasy. Allegory can make important points free from the journalistic burdens. On its release in 2009, Neill Blomkamp’s District 9 was acclaimed as a clever sci-fi/action movie that used a story about alien refugees to explore South Africa’s shameful apartheid past.

But today it’s imagery and ideologies have a new resonance. Eight years after its release, as Europe struggles to cope with the ongoing migration crisis - and as media and politicians seek to dehumanise the most vulnerable of people - District 9 is more relevant than ever."

Very sad news... Tony Doyle (Old Xav. - former pupil of mine) has passed away suddenly. Please keep him and his family in your prayers and thoughts. We will pray in our community for Tony and all the family. My heart goes out to them all. I have very fond memories of teaching Tony: a lovely personality, always smiling and joking.